Playing Favorites
by sapphicGarland
Summary: Parent phan the Howel-Lester family realizes sometimes they're not going to both be the favorite parent when their daughter, Angelica, decides to tell Phil about her crush at school but not Dan.


"Angelica! Buttercup, how was school?" Phil smiled down at his 15-year-old daughter. She shrugged her shoulders, throwing her bag down on the couch, "Awful as always! And will you stop calling me Buttercup?" She joked, smiling softly, "It's so childish."

Phil shook his head, "You'll always be my little Buttercup, you know that."

Angelica shook her head, going to the kitchen to find a snack. Phil followed, leaning against the counter, "So, nothing interesting?

"Well…" Angelica looked away, face flushing red, "There is someone…"

Phil looked up in interest, smiling, "Oh? A boy?" Phil smirked, "-or a girl," he added quickly. His daughter shrugged, grabbing a cookie her dads had made for their latest video. She took a bite to avoid talking, if only for a little bit, while Phil waited patiently.

"Yea, it's a boy. He-um, he's on the football team. He picked up my books for me when some jerk knocked them out of my hands," She smiled fondly as she recalled every detail about him, making Phil chuckle and grin, "And-and he helped me in maths in exchange for some English help. Though, I'm not sure why he needed any help since he writes poems like a romantic Edgar Allen Poe! Though...I guess some of them can be kind of dar-"

Angelica stopped short in her reminiscing as Dan walked in, waving at the two, not noticing how his daughter stopped as soon as he walked in the room, "Angelica! How was school?"

Phil shared a guilty glance with Angelica, "Just fine, papa. I mean, it was awful, but how could I hope for anything more in a society that doesn't ask for our opinion?"

Dan smiled, enjoying the witty banter from her that was so similar to his own it was as if they were actually related, though her blonde hair, contrasting heavily with the couple's dark locks made it obvious they weren't, "Well, who said they had to ask? Don't wait for permission to take a stand, Angel, just the right moment."

Angelica nodded in agreement, finishing her cookie, "These are orgasmic! And you said you couldn't bake!"

"Well, I guess with years of baking videos we've improved," Phil laughed softly. He looked at his husband and daughter. Though they looked like polar opposites, they were basically copies of each other. Angelica had always been closer with Dan than with him, though he knew she loved them both the same, but if that was the case...why didn't Angelica tell Dan about her crush?

Later that night, when Dan was ranting to his webcam on YouNow, Angelica was sitting in the office, helping her dad edit a video.

"Angel," Phil turned in his seat to face his daughter who looked up at the serious yet curious tone.

"Yea, Dad?"

"Why don't you want papa to know about your crush?"

The girl looked down, shifting in her seat uncomfortably, "He's...much more of a typical dad than you are. I-I don't mean you're not a good dad," She added quickly, realising that could have sounded mean, "but, he's more of like, a typical…" She sat up straight, deepening her voice for her best manly dad impression, "'What are your intentions with my daughter,' kind of guy," She laughed softly with her dad.

Phil nodded, "All right...but you'll have to tell him eventually. I'm rubbish at keeping secrets, you know that."

Dan and Phil both had changed into their pyjamas, which for Dan meant boxers and a two-day-old shirt, and for Phil meant proper PJs...with birds on them, of course. Angelica had already been set off to sleep, so now it was just the couple cuddling together in their own bed.

"Phil? I heard you and Angelica talking in the office," Dan continued, noticing Phil's awkward glance away, "What secret?"

Phil shut his eyes guiltily, keeping his face turned away, "What are you talking about…?"

"Oh no," Dan shook his head, turning Phil to face him, "Remember the last time you two kept a secret from me?"

Phil nodded hesitantly, "That was bad…"

"It was a disaster!" Dan sat up, pulling Phil up with him gently, "So? What secret?"

Phil tensed up, unable to lie to his lover any longer, "Angelicahasacrushanddidn'twanttotellyoubecauseshethoughtyoumightbeoverprotective." Phil waffled in one breath.

Dan raised an eyebrow. Did Phil really think he understood that enough to let him off the hook? "Say that one more time."

"...Angelica has a crush and didn't want to tell you because she thought you might be over protective…" Phil looked away, twiddling his thumbs. He knew how his husband got jealous and was afraid this would be one of those times.

"What made her think that?" Dan let go of Phil's arm, looking genuinely curious instead of mad or jealous.

"She said you're more of a 'typical dad' than I am. She was going to tell you…" Phil looked up, suddenly looking worried, "Please don't tell her I told you!"

Dan sighed, "That might be one fight we can afford to skip, even if it might be risking a shred of honesty," He shrugged, looking away. He was a bit jealous his daughter decided to confide in Phil rather than her, but honestly, he was more hurt than anything. He thought they were closer than that. Maybe he was wrong.

The next day, as Dan met Angelica in the kitchen when she got home from school, Dan decided to find answers.

"Angel...I heard you and your dad talking yesterday..." Dan started, treading carefully.

Angelica looked down, shaking her head. Oh no…"Papa-look, I didn't want to tell you because it's literally nothing! We're not even friends right now, it's just a stupid little crush. I waffled to Dad because I knew he wouldn't make a deal out of it, but I was afraid you might. I didn't know if you would…" Angel looked away when she was done with her rant, setting down her cookie for the moment. That had been eating at her all day. She was so close with her papa, she hoped this didn't hurt that.

Dan smiled softly, "I could have made it more clear...my opinion on you dating. I know you're a teenager, and that you have to experience all these different relationships, the good and the bad that comes with them. I'm not going to be the one to say, 'What are your intentions with my daughter?'"

Angel laughed softly. They really did think alike, "So...the guy I bring home, you're going to leave him alone?"

"I wouldn't say that," Dan chuckled, "But I won't be overprotective. I know you need to experience these things. I'll be there to protect from things you don't need to experience, and I'll be there to comfort you when you need me to. But please, no secrets. How can I be your father if I don't know what's going on in your life?"

Angel smiled, hugging her papa tightly. Dan hugged back, glad they got that settled, "Alright. Do you have any homework?"

Angel shook her head, "Nope. My English project is due Monday, so I have plenty of time."

Dan smiled, "Then are you ready for me to kick your ass at Mario Kart?"

Angel grinned cockily, "You're on, old man!"


End file.
